There are hardly any spaces for the elderly people to sit, converse, eat and enjoy each other’s company. Breaking this trend is an eating outlet in Hyderabad’s Tellapur called Paaka Organic Café.
The café has started an initiative yesterday which aims to congregate the senior citizens and give them a chance to enjoy good food and nostalgic conversation. Nourishing themselves with homemade organic food, the elderly can swap stories of the days gone by.
The café, which is known for providing cultural space for independent arts, has decided that it will invite the elderly every month for a joyful evening.
Talking to New Indian Express, Bharath Dantuluri, founder of the café said: “We have been hosting different kinds of events ever since we set up shop. We hold movie screenings, stand-up comedy nights, open mic and other events on a regular basis. We had also hosted events curated to specific age groups — such as ladies’ night, kids’ night, couples’ night and a few others. But, the idea of elders’ night has a personal reason behind it.”
Explaining this, he said those running café have not been able to take time out for their families, especially the grandparents. “We feel disconnected from our lives and our elders. We are basically creating a space to engage with the elderly over food. We hope this concept works; it would give shape to a club where elderly people can meet and hangout.”
The type of evening will include people gathered around a bonfire, enjoying some soothing music and some delicious snacks.
The café offers multi-cuisine food from across the country. “We serve traditional homemade food inspired by the length and breadth of the country. We also have a changing menu, as we keep tweaking recipes. Sometimes it’s themed — we have a Bihari menu, Rajasthani and so on. Everything we make here is organic,” remarked Bharath.
